2026 South Carolina elections

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2026 South Carolina elections
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The 2026 South Carolina elections will be held in the state of South Carolina on November 3, 2026, alongside the nationwide midterm elections. Elections will be held for a U.S. Senate seat, governor, as well as other statewide executive offices, all 7 of the state's U.S. House of Representatives seats and all seats in the State House. Primary elections will be held on June 9, 2026, with runoff elections being held on June 23. [1]

Contents

A solidly red state, South Carolina has consistently supported Republicans in recent decades. Democrats have not won South Carolina on the presidential level since 1976, when Jimmy Carter won most of the Deep South. [2] Democrats have not won any statewide office in South Carolina since 2006, when Jim Rex was elected as Superintendent of Education. [3]

United States Senate

Incumbent Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who was re-elected in 2020 with 54.4% of the vote, is running for re-election to a fifth term in office. [4]

Paul Dans, the main architect of Project 2025, is challenging Graham for the Republican nomination. [5]

United States House of Representatives

All of South Carolina's 7 seats in the United States House of Representatives are up for election in 2026.

6 seats are currently held by Republicans, and 1 is currently held by a Democrat. [6]

State executive

Governor

Incumbent Republican governor Henry McMaster, who was re-elected with 58.04% of the vote in 2022, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election a third full term in office. [7]

Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, state senator Josh Kimbrell, U.S. representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and attorney general Alan Wilson are running for the Republican nomination. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Attorney General

Incumbent Republican attorney general Alan Wilson, who was re-elected unopposed in 2022, declined to seek re-election and is instead running for governor. [13]

Solicitors David Pascoe and David Stumbo, as well as state senator Stephen Goldfinch, are running for the Republican nomination. [14] [15] [16]

Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican secretary of state Mark Hammond, who was re-elected in 2022 with 63.3% of the vote, is eligible to run for re-election to a seventh term in office but has not yet stated if he will do so.

Treasurer

Incumbent Republican treasurer Curtis Loftis, who was re-elected in 2022 with 79.7% of the vote, is running for re-election to a fifth term in office. [17]

The South Carolina Senate voted to remove Loftis from office in a 33-8 vote in April 2025 following his involvement in a $1.8 billion accounting error, but the House did not vote on his removal before the end of their legislative session. [18]

Comptroller General

Republican Comptroller Richard Eckstrom, who was re-elected unopposed in 2022, left office on April 30, 2023, following the discovery of a $3.5 billion accounting error. [19] Governor Henry McMaster appointed Democrat Brian J. Gaines to serve the remainder of Eckstrom's term. He is not running for a full term. [20] [21]

Superintendent of Education

Republican Superintendent Ellen Weaver was first elected in 2022 with 55.5% of the vote. She is eligible to run for re-election to a second term in office, but has not yet stated if he will do so. [22]

Lisa Ellis, the Democratic nominee for Superintendent of Education in 2022, is running in 2026. [22] She is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Sylvia Wright. [23]

Commissioner of Agriculture

Incumbent Republican commissioner Hugh Weathers was re-elected in 2022 with 77.6% of the vote. He is retiring. [24]

Fred West, the director of market development at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, is running for the Republican nomination. He is endorsed by Weathers. [24]

State House of Representatives

All 124 seats in the South Carolina House of Representatives are up for election in 2026.

Republicans currently hold 88 seats in the State House, and Democrats hold 36.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2026 State Primary Election Dates". National Conference of State Legislatures. September 26, 2025. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  2. ↑ Martinez, Elizabeth (October 31, 2024). "A look into South Carolina's presidential election voting history". Spectrum News. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  3. ↑ Brams, Sophie (October 21, 2024). "Here are the reddest and bluest counties in South Carolina based on recent election results". WCBD 2. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  4. ↑ Atkinson, Macon (January 13, 2025). "US Sen. Lindsey Graham announces 2026 reelection team and a $15 million fundraising war chest" . The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  5. ↑ Mascaro, Lisa; Kinnard, Meg (July 28, 2025). "Project 2025 author Paul Dans will challenge Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina". Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  6. ↑ Collins, Jeffrey; Phillips, Patrick (November 5, 2024). "Mace, Clyburn, Fry win reelection to US House seats in South Carolina". WCSC 5. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  7. ↑ "SC - Election Night Reporting". South Carolina Election Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  8. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (July 15, 2025). "Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette joins race for South Carolina governor. 5 things to know" . The State. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  9. ↑ Moore, Stephanie (June 23, 2025). "Republican Sen. Josh Kimbrell announces bid for South Carolina governor". WYFF 4. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  10. ↑ Goba, Kadia (August 4, 2025). "Rep. Nancy Mace, Trump critic turned ally, to run for South Carolina governor" . The Washington Post. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  11. ↑ Kinnard, Meg (July 25, 2025). "Rep. Ralph Norman, among House's most conservative, set to enter South Carolina governor's race". Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ Kinnard, Meg (June 23, 2025). "Alan Wilson, South Carolina's four-term Republican attorney general, enters 2026 governor's race". WYFF 4. Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  13. ↑ Kinnard, Meg (June 23, 2025). "Alan Wilson, South Carolina's four-term Republican attorney general, enters 2026 governor's race". Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  14. ↑ Jackson, Gavin; Schechter, Maayan (July 8, 2025). "GOP state Sen. Goldfinch enters 2026 race for South Carolina attorney general". South Carolina Public Radio. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  15. ↑ Holdman, Jessica (August 19, 2025). "Solicitor who switched parties officially launches bid for SC attorney general". South Carolina Daily Gazette. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  16. ↑ Holdman, Jessica (September 17, 2025). "SC solicitor becomes 3rd GOP candidate in attorney general's race". South Carolina Daily Gazette. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  17. ↑ Bustos, Joseph (April 2, 2025). "After saying he wouldn't run in 2026, SC Treasurer Loftis launches reelection bid" . The State. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  18. ↑ Collins, Jeffrey (May 1, 2025). "State treasurer's role in a $1.8 billion accounting error likely won't cost him his job". Fortune. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  19. ↑ Flowers, Marcus (March 23, 2023). "S.C. Comptroller General resigning after accounting error". WIS 10. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  20. ↑ Meija, Jessica (May 12, 2023). "Governor McMaster appoints Brian Gaines as Comptroller General". ABC 25 Columbia. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  21. ↑ Adcox, Seanna (May 12, 2023). "McMaster calls SC Legislature back to work, makes history with pick for chief accountant". Palmetto Politics. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  22. 1 2 Grenier, Ian (September 5, 2025). "Democratic nominee in 2022 superintendent of education race running again for top SC education post". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  23. ↑ Brams, Sophie (September 8, 2025). "Two longtime educators launch Democratic primary bids for state superintendent". WCBD 2. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  24. 1 2 Bustos, Joseph (March 18, 2025). "SC Agriculture leader won't seek re-election. He wants this Midlands man to succeed him" . The State. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
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